Anders Frederick Steen Quand tu balances, je te tiens au bout du doigt, et te ramène vers moi 2020

40% Carignan, 30% Marsanne, 30% Sauvignon Blanc

This wine started life as a white — Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc pressed direct, meant to be a clean blend. But the juices didn’t quite click, so at harvest’s end Anders added some direct-pressed Carignan. Better, but still not quite there. The final touch was a little destemmed Carignan, left to macerate in the fermenting juice for six weeks. After pressing, the light red was aged in barrels and finished fermenting in demi-muids the following year. The result is a curious mix of red lift and white backbone — layered, fresh, and just a little unexpected.